North America Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Market

The autonomous underwater vehicle market in North America is expected to reach USD 1.12 billion by 2030, from USD 0.75 billion in 2025, with a CAGR of 8.3%. In terms of volume, it is likely to grow from 219 units in 2025 to 313 units by 2030. Regional demand for AUVs is increasing because of the improved focus of defense operators on leveraging these vehicles for long-endurance missions. Emphasis on underwater infrastructure inspection and analytical environmental monitoring is also expected to fuel the market’s growth.

Kongsberg (US), General Dynamics Mission Systems (US), Boeing (US), Northrop Grumman (US), and Anduril Industries (US) are the major companies operating in the autonomous underwater vehicle market in North America. They have employed various organic and inorganic strategies, including acquisitions, agreements, collaborations, expansions, partnerships, and product launches, to enhance their international footprint and capture a significant share of the regional market.

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Kongsberg is a key player in the autonomous underwater vehicle market, operating through four segments: Defence & Aerospace, Maritime, Discovery, and Digital. Among these, Kongsberg Discovery focuses on subsea and ocean technologies, producing acoustic, navigation, and positioning systems such as AUVs. The company’s AUV portfolio includes the HUGIN family, used for seabed mapping, research, and defense surveillance, as well as the MUNIN series, designed for offshore survey and inspection. These systems are mainly used in environmental monitoring, subsea infrastructure assessment, and military operations.  

General Dynamics Mission Systems is a defense technology integrator specializing in undersea warfare, secure communications, and mission-critical maritime systems. The company supports AUV operations through its Bluefin Robotics product line, which includes modular, deep-rated AUVs widely used for mine countermeasures and hydrographic surveys. Its systems are deployed across US Navy programs such as the Knifefish UUV and serve multiple allied navies worldwide. With strong engineering centers in the US and a global support network, General Dynamics delivers advanced autonomy and underwater sensing capabilities across defense, commercial, and research sectors.

Boeing is an aerospace and defense contractor with a few major products positioned in the autonomous underwater vehicle market. A key example includes the ORCA Extra-Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV) that has been developed for the US Navy. The company focuses on long-endurance autonomous platforms designed for ISR and seabed missions at long and very-long ranges. It leverages its experience in composite structures, advanced autonomy, and naval systems integration to support undersea warfare and deep-ocean operations.

Northrop Grumman is a global defense company specializing in advanced sensors, autonomous systems, and maritime-based technologies. Under the underwater domain, the company provides mission systems, acoustic sensors, inertial navigation systems (INS), and command & control (C2) architectures. These solutions enable high-precision AUV and UUV operations. They support US Navy programs for major use-cases such as undersea surveillance, ISR missions, and distributed undersea networks.

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company known for autonomous systems and AI-enabled mission software. Its Ghost Shark program, co-developed with the Australian Defence Force, represents the company’s entry into the large-AUV and XLUUV domain. Major applications of XLUUV include long-duration and high-payload autonomous missions for ISR. Andruil integrates sensor fusion and open-architecture software to deliver rapidly deployable AUVs. It is also expanding its global footprint in multi-mission AUVs by enhancing its product portfolio.

Market Ranking

The autonomous underwater vehicle market in North America is highly competitive, with five major companies shaping technology leadership and operational capability. Kongsberg leads the market with its long-range HUGIN AUVs that support multi-domain naval operations, oceanography, and offshore energy surveillance. General Dynamics Mission Systems follows with its proven portfolio of defense-grade underwater systems, offering strong capabilities in mine countermeasures, undersea sensing, and communication systems. Boeing maintains a strong position through its large-class Echo Voyager family, delivering long-endurance AUVs for defense and commercial applications. Northrop Grumman contributes significantly with high-reliability AUVs, which enhance precision underwater intelligence and situational awareness. Meanwhile, Anduril Industries strengthens the competitive landscape with next-generation autonomous platforms and modular AUVs for search and salvage operations and other contested-environment operations.

Related Reports:

North America Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Market by Shape (Torpedo, Laminar Flow Body, Streamlined Rectangular Style, Multi-Hull), Type (Shallow, Medium, Large), System, Speed, Propulsion, Application, Cost, and Country – Forecast To 2030

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